The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-15
CONFEDERATE RELICS.
Some of the Things Found Among the Arch
ives of the War Department

Washington Critic.
The archives of the confederate government
form perhaps the most interesting set of his
torical relics in the possession of the govern
ment They were taken at Richmond. and were
handed to the War Department They
have been carefully arranged. and now
the big State, War and Navy building. They
never shown to strangers, and the greatest
care is taken in regard to them.
Among these relics is the seal of the Confeder-
ate Treasury. It is an iron affair, with q heavy
handle, and its emblem is the palmetto tree of
South Carolina
The die is little larger around than a trade
dollar, and about the outside of it run the words,
Confederate States of America" while inside
and just the palmetto tree reads, THE
Treasury Department"
The great seal of the Confederacy was made
shortly before its fall, and after this it mystic
riousy disappeared One of its authors was
Colonel A. r. Boteler, now of the Attorney
generals Office who gave the design for the seal.
This was sent off TO the confederate minister at
London and the great seal was made of pure
silver by Wyatt, the man who has for years
made the great seals of England. When the
confederate government left Richmond this seal
was taken along, and saw a letter from Able
vile. S. c.. recently. which states that it was
thrown into well along the way, and that the
we'll had since caved in. Whether this be truo
or not do not know.
The confederate government had very little
bullion and the War Department has possession
of one of the only four silver half dollars which
were coined by It at the Louisiana mint. This
mint was turned over to the confederate govern
ment in February. 1861. and in April Mr.. Mem
minger confederate Treasurer. sent out asking
for designs for silver half dollars. Several were
received, but the one approved bore on one side
a representation OF the Goddess OF Liberty sur
rounded by thirteen stars. denoting the thirteen
States of the Confederacy, and the lower rim
the figure ''lS61-" On the other side was a
shield with seven stars, representing the seced-
ing States, and above the shield there is a he'll
met cap, and entwined around it are stalks of
sugarcane and cotton. The inscription is Con
federate States of America" After four pieces
had been struck. order was received from the
Secretary of the Treasury suspending opera
tons on account of the difficulty of obtaining
bullion. and the mint closed on April 80,
1861 OF these four pieces coined one is in the
possession of the government here; one was pre-
Louisiana; to DIR. E. Ames. of New Orleans
and the other retained by DR.. B. F. Taylor, the
coner. who now resides in Louisiana.
AS to confederate paper money the archives
contained great quantity when they were capt
ured. Among them half a million dol
lars of confederate bonds, two large chests and
five bags containing millions of dollars of con-
federate money, and in fact, papers giving
almost complete history of the Confederacy
Specimens of this money have been collected
into a scrap book by the clerks of the War De-
partment, and this scrap book. which is filed
with blank orders of the confederate govern
ment, with money and other curiosites, is now
worth more than its weight in gold.